472 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1925 



as happens in the pupation of the Muscida?. The pupa inside lies 

 quite free from any attachment to the skin, but the ventral depres- 

 sion of the pupa is due to its having to fit on the ventral aspect 

 of the larval skin, which is raised centrally by the head, legs, 

 prolegs, etc. 



The larval skin dehisces by cracking around the marginal crest 

 in front and by a crack across the front of the three ridges — that 

 is, between the third and foui-th abdominal segments. The semi- 

 circular portion thus marked off again divides longitudinally into 

 two portions. In Doctor Chapman's specimen one of these por- 

 tions was missing, the other loose. 



Dr. William M. Mann found several of the caterpillars of Li- 

 phyra hrassolis at Tulagi, British Solomon Islands, in the leaf and 

 silk nests of (Ecophylla sniaragdina var. subnitida. He remarks 

 that these larvie much resemble those of Microdon and glide along 

 in a similar manner, though very much faster. 



EULIPIIYRA MIRinCA 



All of our knowledge regarding the early stages of this curious 

 form we owe to Mr. W. A. Lamborn whose observations were made 

 at Oni Camp, 70 miles east of T^agos, Southern Nigeria. 



Mr. Lamborn made a window into a nest of the " tree-driver " 

 ant {(EcophyUa smaragdina race longinoda) by snipping out a 

 square piece of leaf with a pair of scissors, and on looking in he 

 saw a larva which he recognized at once, as it was similar to one 

 which he had previoush' seen assailed by these ants, but which had 

 successfully protected itself by drawing down its hard carapace- 

 like shield in limpet fashion to the supporting surface. He tore 

 the nest open and discovered more larvae, and thereupon took ants 

 and all home in a tin box. He broke other nests open and found 

 larvifi in four more, bringing up the total of larvae secured to 19. 

 The larva? were not all of tlie same age in each nest. 



He remarked that the head of this larva is remarkable. When 

 the. larva is at rest and usually when it crawls the head is com- 

 pletely hidden by a fold of skin which extends all around so as to 

 form with the leathery skin of the back and sides a kind of cara- 

 pace. The head is sometimes thrust forAvard under the fore margin 

 of this fold, and one then sees quite a long neck gradually tapering 

 to a point terminated by fine jaws. 



As it crawls the larva frequently swings this proboscis first to 

 one side and then to the other as if in search of food. It took ]\Ir. 

 Lamborn 48 hours to find out the source of their food supply, for 

 they did not touch the leaves, and he did not see them attack ants 



